Enjoying The Fruits (And Vegetables) Of Your Labor

One of the most discouraging sights for a gardener is to see all
of his or her hard work rot on the vine. If you can't keep up
with the zucchini or the bushels of beans and tomatoes at harvest
time, do not despair. Your local extension office probably has
many fact sheets on preserving fruits and vegetables. It is
essential that proper practices for canning, drying and freezing
be followed.

If preserving isn't an option, call your local churches or the
Salvation Army to see if they can use the garden's bounty to feed
members of your community that may not otherwise have access to
fresh produce. I have found that several nursing homes also take
fresh vegetables for their elderly residents.

After weeks or months of working in the garden, ensuring the
seedlings receive proper water and feeding and defending against
pests and disease, you may feel more like a proud parent. Like
all proud parents we are quick to extol success and just as quick
to forget failure.

By remembering a few simple rules and relying on your county
extension office for help and information, success will far
outweigh failure and plenty of good eating will reward the home
gardener all summer long.

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Cheryl is a Master Gardener who volunteers with the Lake County
(Ohio) Extension office of Ohio State University. She won a
Cleveland Press Club award last year for her feature and column
writing.